The Fifth Commandment.
Deuteronomy 5:16 (New International Version)
16 "Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you."
My attempt at honoring my mother and father as they age and are unable to care completely for themselves.

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Thursday, March 4, 2010

Wednesday

Wednesday I was greeted by my dad with the words, "Your mother is throwing up in the bathroom." It was 8:35 AM and she had a doctor's appointment for her lichen planus at 9:00 AM. She really was fine- just spit up some mucus into the toilet. She blamed the new pill she is taking for making her stomach upset.

Went to the dermatologist- a wonderful man with a great personality and even though he is fast- he is takes the time to talk to my mom. He explained to her that they had treated her before with Triamcinolone ointment. He told her not to be alarmed by the restrictions showed on the medication, that it was OK to use in her mouth on the lichen planus.

When we got the medication home, the box and instructions said not to use in the mouth. Mom freaked out and was ready to throw the medication in the garbage. She wanted me to call Dr. N and tell him she wanted prednisone.

I called both the doctor's office and the pharmacy. It was explained to me that there is a dental formula of Triamcinolone that they can prescribe- it is basically the same treatment, but the dental paste is much more expensive. (The cost for either isn't bad- it's just that you get about 100 times more for the non-dental paste)

It was agreed that in order to make Mom feel better about using it, we would switch to the dental paste. Took the ointment back to the pharmacy and got the dental paste.

Mom did not take her morning medications until after 1 pm. She wasn't hungry she said and wouldn't take her meds without eating. I kept pushing her to eat and to take her meds. She wanted her strawberry jelly I threw away yesterday. (from 2006 with mold growing on it) That was the only thing she wanted. I will bring her some on Thursday.

Mom wanted to go through everything I packed. She can't make decisions. Keep this? Throw away that? Give this away? Those decisions are too difficult. She's suspicious that I will throw away something she "needs."

I got frustrated. When she was in the office, I went to the living room to pack. When she came to the living room, I went to the office to pack. And I did throw away things, but I had to sneak them out. Mom started going through the waste baskets where Dad has placed his dirty tissues to make sure he wasn't throwing away anything important. I know there are issues here with a loss of control.

I started packing up a few sweaters that she keeps in the office in a dresser. She threw a fit- she might need those in the next 5 days. I told her she has a closet full of clothes she can wear the next few days. She told me those sweaters are her favorites. I snapped back "All your clothes are your 'favorites.'" She stomped her foot (sort of) like a child and said, "Well- I will just wear what I have on now for the next week. Good thing I have some clothes on or I'd have to go naked."

My temper got the best of me and I went into her room and threw open her closet door and said, "You have a whole closet full of clothes of clothes you can wear. Don't try to make me feel guilty." Her reply was, "well I hope it doesn't get cold and I freeze because you packed my sweaters."

I got a lot packed yesterday, but it was a rough day. Lots of mini arguments. I was tired and my back was starting to hurt so I stopped at 3:30. I was in bed and asleep by 8:30 pm. Praise God for a good night's rest!